The Citizen, 2010-07-01, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010. PAGE 7.
NEWS
FROM AUBURN
Auburn is busy these days with
the ball diamond hosting good old-
fashioned baseball games where
everyone is able to be part of a team
and show sportsmanship.
With this kind of positive
channeling attitude who can say it
doesn't show a positive approachwith all that we endure as teammembers. whether it is at work,home, school or being on a sportsteam. Leaders and coaches are integral
parts of holding a community such
as Auburn together.
Coming soon is Huron Chapel
Evangelical Missionary Church’s
Vacation Bible School program
from July 5 to July 9. This year’s
theme is “Into the Promised Land”.
Starting from junior kindergarten,
this is a great program developed by
the youth and Sunday School
leaders that bring our kids together
and they will be able to share
common life-gaining skills.The Knox United Church inAuburn is extending an invitation toyoung ones to come on out and jointhem for Peacemakers summer daycamp. This Vacation Bible School-
type program is week-long program
from 9 a.m. to noon (doors open at
8:30 a.m.) which includes sessions
of music and science, creative arts,
games, story and drama.
Habitat for Humanity in Huron
County is planning on building a
house in Clinton in 2011. This will
be a single-family dwelling. In the
fall of 2010 the group will be
advertising to make its intentions
known to the general public.
Over the summer months thegroup asks you to think of familiesthat are in need of better housing,and are willing to partner withHabitat for Humanity. The goal is toeliminate poverty housing in Huron
County by offering a “hand up” and
not a “hand out”. In the fall, when
the application process starts, please
encourage these families to apply
for this opportunity to own their own
home.
If you want additional
information, or application forms,
please call the office at 519-612-
1612 or write to Habitat for
Humanity Huron County, P.O. Box
453, Goderich, N7A 4C7.
Auburn ball diamond alive with gamesBy Kerri
Heroux
hopturn@
hotmail.com
PEOPLE AROUND AUBURN
ACW revisits mandatory septic inspection approval
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
(ACW) Township councillors are
having second thoughts about the
mandatory septic system inspections
they approved in principle two
months ago.
ACW councillors received
correspondence from both Public
Health Manager Bob Worsell of
Huron County and the Township of
Tiny, a township near Georgian Bay,
and the numbers just don’t add up
for councillors and residents of
ACW.
The correspondence from Tiny
Township stated that its plan, which
covers 9,000 households over nine
years, costs each individual $80 per
inspection, up from $70 in prior
years, more than $200 less than the
Huron County Health Unit’s septic
inspection plan.
Mike McElhone, the
Environmental Co-ordinator of the
Ashfield-Colborne Lakefront
Association spoke to council,
stating that he had been in contact
with Tiny Township for some time,
and that it was council’s duty to
check this information.
“If there’s something that’s
working out there, and working for
that much less, we owe it to the
taxpayers to at least take a trip to
Tiny Township,” McElhone stated.
Previously, ACW councillors had
requested a break down in costs for
the proposed Huron County
program, but felt that Worsell’s
outlining of the program provided a
vague and incomplete picture of
where the funding would go and
how the system would work.
For example, Huron County states
that there are 13,269 septic systems
within its borders, not including
South Huron. At a suggested rate of
350 inspections per year equals
approximately 40 years for a
complete inspection of the entire
county, where the health unit
suggests it could be done in seven to
10 years.
Council questioned these
numbers, and believed that students
would most likely be hired to
increase the number that could be
done within the eight month season
that is ideal for testing, but also
added that those extra positions
would require extra funds on top of
the already questionable amount.
McElhone explained that, while
they had to be sure they were
comparing similar programs, the
Tiny Township program comes with
the approval of Doug Joy, a
professor of Engineering and
Director of the Ontario Rural
Wastewater Center.
“I quite like the Tiny Township
program as it is one of the few
programs that is more than just a
walk about looking for obvious
signs of problems,” Joy said in
correspondence with McElhone.
In his correspondence, Joy also
stated that Huron County’s price
seems high.
“At $322 per inspection, that
would make it a very expensive
[inspection] program,” Joy’s
correspondence stated. “If the
[inspection] program cost of $322
includes the cost of the pump out, it
doesn’t seem excessive. If it doesn’t
include the pumpout, it would have
to be a pretty extensive [inspection]
to make it [worthwhile compared to
other programs].”
Councillors decided to try and
visit the Township of Tiny with the
intent of determining what the
difference is between the two plans.
Deputy Reeve Neil Rintoul
suggested to make the trip more
inclusive, and invite representatives
from the Huron County Health Unit
and councillors from Huron County
Council.
Councillor Barry Millian stated
that, regardless of whether the trip to
Tiny Township happens or produces
results, there are still too many
unanswered questions before he
votes to approve the inspection
program in practice.
“The only clarification for price
that we’ve received is missing
information and is based on another
township’s (Huron-Kinloss)
system,” he said. “This is on hold in
my mind until such a time as all
these questions are answered.”
Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek stated
that, as the council had asked for a
full breakdown, they wouldn’t
proceed until more information had
been given.
“[Worsell’s correspondence] is
fairly vague, and doesn’t answer our
questions,” stated Van Diepenbeek.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Making it bacon
Grey firefighter Mike Stevenson was on bacon duty at last
weekend’s Grey Firefighters’ breakfast, which was held at
the Grey Fire Hall on Sunday. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Oops...
In the June 24 issue of The
Citizen, a report on Ross Taylor’s
90th birthday incorrectly identified
Taylor’s brother Bill as deceased,
while this is not the case.
We apologize to Bill and to our
readers for any confusion this may
have caused.